The present invention generally relates to merchandising containers for food products which enable the food products to be stored at elevated temperatures for extended time periods without any significant deterioration of food quality. More particularly, the merchandising container is a one-piece hinged unit that is molded of so-called rigid synthetic plastic material that is sized and shaped to merchandise and store ready-to-eat food products in a manner by which the food products can be immediately consumed without assembly, heating or other handling procedures. The merchandising container includes a tray portion and a cover portion that exhibit a tight interference fit with each other. In addition, a locking assembly is included for keeping the container closed even while the merchandising container is lifted and transported when only the cover portion thereof is grasped by the customer.
Containers for merchandising food products including so-called fast-food items such as hamburger sandwiches, hot dog sandwiches and other sandwiches incorporating meats and/or cheeses within bread, a bun, or other dough-like food items, are generally well-known. Many of these merchandising containers are constructed of foamed polymers, paperboards, foils and the like which are usually non-transparent, making impossible to inspect the food item without handling and opening the merchandising container. In many fast-food types of operations, non-transparent packaging is acceptable, if not desirable, because employees of the fast-food store select the packaged item and deliver it to the customer without any opportunity for the customer to choose specific containerized food products. In addition, it is often the case that the identity of the fast-food product within the container is designated by wording and/or color coding which is easily discernible from viewing the outside of the merchandising container. In addition, the selection process in these types of fast-food operations often is further facilitated by providing numerous merchandising compartments, each being designated for a specific type of fast-food item.
In fast-food stores such as these wherein an employee of the store selects and transports the containerized food item from a temporary holding location to a bag or tray which is then presented to the customer, the store can rely upon the experience of its employee and the employee's familiarity with the merchandising containers in order to be certain that the containerized fast-food is delivered to the customer without mishap. In these types of merchandising operations, the experience and/or training of the employee will be important in generally ensuring that the containerized food product will remain within the merchandising container because the employee will be aware of the proper manner of handling the containerized food product without inadvertent opening of the merchandising container and possible spillage of the food product out of its container. Accordingly, in these types of operations, merchandising container locking means typically are not especially secure.
Other types of fast-food stores have a self-service aspect whereby the customer is the one who removes the containerized food product from a warming location, typically for transport to another location in the store at which the containerized ready-to-eat food product is purchased. In these types of operations, it is important that the container will not inadvertently open when it is handled in a less-than-desirable manner, such as by having the customer grasp the container by only its cover portion. In addition, in at least some of these types of self-service stores, the customer has the ability to select among several different containers, each of which contains the same type of food product, such as a hot dog in a bun, or the like. In these instances, a customer may have an inclination to inspect the containerized food products, such as opening the merchandising container in order to inspect for freshness, size, and the like. Such inspection is generally not desirable from at least a public health and safety point of view. It would therefore be desirable to provide transparent containers which permit inspection without opening the package and which provide a locking feature that requires conscious manipulation thereof in order to open the package so that it will not become inadvertently opened.
Another consideration for marketing ready-to-eat food products is to take steps in order to maintain the freshness and consistency of the food product within the container during the time that the containerized food product is stored in a heated state so that it is at a temperature preferred for consumption. Many prior art merchandising containers do not provide an adequate seal so as to maintain desired humidity conditions within the container, and/or components such as buns, breads and the like tend to stick to the portion of the container within which it is in contact, particularly after storage at consumption temperatures for substantial time periods.
In summary, the present invention is particularly well suited for self-serve retail outlets for ready-to-eat food products that may be stored at elevated consumption temperatures for extended time periods on the order of up to four hours or so while still maintaining the freshness and product consistency desired for a product of this type. The merchandising container is a generally rigid one-piece container constructed from synthetic plastic that is preferably transparent and that will withstand storage at elevated temperatures without damage or deterioration. The merchandising container has a generally clamshell type of structure including a tray portion and a cover portion which combine to enclose a food product such as a hotdog and bun sandwich or the like. The tray portion and cover portion are integrally joined by a living hinge member, preferably one that is especially wide and flexible in order to minimize the chance of inadvertent container closure. A locking structure is provided generally opposite to the hinge, and the tray portion and cover portion have substantially complementary generally vertical engagement surfaces on their respective perimeters in order to provide an interference fit. Preferably, the base of the tray has a series of generally concentric formed ridges to inhibit sticking of the food product to the base.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an improved rigid one-piece merchandising container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved merchandising container that provides superior storage for extended time periods of heated ready-to-eat food products such as hot sandwiches and the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved merchandising container having a locking system that allows the filled container to be held from its top portion without having the container fall open and expose or drop the food product.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved one-piece merchandising container having interference fit characteristics to provide a closed system that allows bread products and the like to remain soft and moist when stored within a forced air type of warming oven or other warming oven for at least four hours.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved rigid one-piece merchandising container that has a gravity-sensitive lock structure to prevent inadvertent opening of the package when the top portion only thereof is grasped.
In accordance with a further object, the rigid package has a flange around its outer edge which allows the package to be suspended by the flange in a specially designed rack, thereby providing a unique combination of package and merchandising rack requiring a package that is similarly sized and that has a similar flange.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.